3023 Proctor Rd
Sarasota FL 34231
How safe are our homes, communities, and the nation from the ravages of natural disasters? The news is filled with nearly daily reports of massive rainfalls, snows, windstorms, droughts, wildfires, and flooding. Not to mention, here in Florida the havoc caused by hurricanes. Come listen to Eugene Henry speak about Natural Hazards, Increasing Risks and Our Increasing Vulnerabilities at the FLVCS 2023 May meeting.
Synopsis: With changes in frequency and severity, natural hazards are increasing vulnerabilities facing our homes, our communities, and our nation. Natural hazards are a part of our planet and our own evolution. However, the current pace of changes to these natural phenomena have significant impacts to our fixed built and social environments (infrastructure, business, communities and people). Our communities, and our nation, are becoming more vulnerable due to much of our safety to risks associated with natural hazards being built to using fixed standards. In many areas, these standards appear not to be sufficient to provide the protection we have become accustomed.
When: Monday, May 8, 2023 07:00 PM EDT
Where: Unity of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Rd, Sarasota, FL 34231
Online: Zoom
You must register in advance for the Zoom webinar:
Zoom Registration
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Eugene Henry’s Bio:
Eugene (Gene) Henry, Community Rating System Specialist, retired from Hillsborough County, Florida in 2020 as the County’s Hazardous Mitigation Manager and Floodplain Administrator. He retired from mostly government service after 38 years as a professional planner. Although retired from government service, Gene continues to work with communities from the private sector side. As a planner, he has served as a leader of teams that unified planning functions with disaster-mitigation processes. This leadership included the integration of all-hazards mitigation with comprehensive planning and regulatory development. Gene developed and provided oversight for community plans, land development, construction projects, and grants.
Post-disaster redevelopment strategy
Gene developed a community post-disaster redevelopment strategy to target policy decisions and redevelopment practices following a disaster. The document received international and statewide recognition and served within the State of Florida as a guide for other jurisdictions. The document was developed with help from about 200 stakeholders. He also implemented a floodplain management and flood-hazard program that protected greater than $10 billion in property. The program received national recognition.
All-hazards program
Gene implemented an all-hazards program that guided protecting a community from hazards, which also met Federal and State standards and requirements with the National Flood Insurance Program, Community Rating System. He modified codes to establish higher land-development and construction standards for the community to become more resilient. Lastly, he managed and assisted with teams along the Gulf coast following impacts from Hurricane Katrina, Harvey, and Ida. As a hazardous mitigation manager, Gene worked with a team during the Republican National Convention, and worked disasters that have involved a drought declaration, tornado events, a 2010 winter-sinkhole event, and numerous wind and flooding events.
Gene is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners, certified as a Floodplain Manager, and a past appointed member to the National Advisory Council, which provided advice to the Administrator of FEMA. He has practiced in public and private sectors, and he has worked with floodplain administration, planning, land development, and emergency management.